The laws of energyJared O. Blum
President Bush signed into law the Energy Policy Act of 2005 on
Aug. 8. The law incorporates key provisions for energy-efficient
commercial and residential buildings. Specifically, the new
legislation provides tax deductions for owners of commercial
buildings that exceed ASHRAE 90.1, "Energy Standard for Buildings
Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings," as well as tax credits for
highly energy-efficient residential construction.
The legislation has the potential to dramatically affect the
commercial roofing and home-building industries, particularly given
current concerns about rising energy costs. In addition, it offers
you an opportunity to bring a positive economic message to your
customers about upgrading their building envelopes.
In the past, payback times for energy-efficient upgrades were
the primary economic incentive for building owners and homeowners;
however, now this deduction serves as a "first-cost"
incentive—in other words, a large percentage of the money is
returned immediately. With NRCA's EnergyWise Roof Calculator or
another energy calculator and this new legislation, you now can
educate customers about the new financial benefits of an upgraded,
highly energy-efficient roof system.
As with any new law, there still are some implementation
measures to work out, and the U.S. Department of Treasury is in the
process of finalizing guidelines and criteria. As soon as this
information is available, Professional Roofing...
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